Recurrent gossypiboma in the thigh

Abstract

Gossypiboma, an iatrogenic mass lesion caused by a retained surgical sponge is an extremely rare event following musculoskeletal procedures. This entity is therefore a very unusual experience and can create considerable confusion. Unsuspecting surgeons may thus be caught out by this unlikely presentation. We present our experience with a recurrent gossypiboma in the thigh occurring several years after surgical evacuation of a similar gossypiboma from the same anatomic location with interval resolution of symptoms. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the possibility of a "recurrent" soft tissue mass occurring for reasons other than a neoplasm. In the absence of a definitive biopsy diagnosis of tumor in patients who have undergone prior surgical procedures in that area, it may be more prudent to adopt a conservative surgical resection rather than a conventional radical resection as warranted by the dramatic clinical presentation mimicking a soft tissue sarcoma.

Cutaneous gossypiboma: a potential diagnostic pitfall

“…Depending on the site of implantation, gossypiboma can mimic a variety of lesions including ovarian tumors and soft tissue neoplasms . In some cases, “local recurrence” occurred after surgical removal . Even though this is a benign lesion, it can lead to surgical site infection and sepsis.…”

“…7 In some cases, ''local recurrence'' occurred after surgical removal. 8 Even though this is a benign lesion, it can lead to surgical site infection and sepsis. The reported mortality rate ranges from 11 to 35%, 9 and longstanding gossypiboma has been reported in association with angiosarcoma.…”

Foreign body reaction to a retained surgical sponge (gossypiboma) mimicking an implant associated sarcoma in a dog after a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy

“…Gauze is recognized as the most frequently forgotten surgical material, accounting for up to 80% of reported cases (6,17). Reports of gossypibomas after orthopaedic procedures are relatively infrequent compared to abdominal surgeries accounting for only six percent of gossypiboma cases in the human medical field compared to 52% being found in the abdomen (6,17,(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27).…”

Year 2008, August, Volume 23, Issue 8

“…Other authors have reported the initial diagnosis of an extraskeletal osteosarcoma in a dog (Miller et al, 2006) and a recurrent soft tissue neoplastic mass in the thigh (Puri et al, 2007) and a paraspinal abscess , in both these cases surgical swabs were found on surgical exploration.…”